The present application relates to fragrance emitting compositions and materials made therefrom, and in particular to fragrance emitting urinal blocks and air fresheners.
Fragrance emitting products in the form of solid or semi-solid blocks, that include one or more fragrances for providing a fresh or deodorizing impression, have long been available for a variety of commercial and home applications. These applications include, for example, blocks or cakes for use in urinals, lavatories, basements closets, pet areas, lockers, storage areas and garbage cans; air freshener units equipped with small fans and refillable scented blocks; and scented urinal screen and block combinations.
For the last several decades, such fragrance emitting products have often included 1,4-dichlorobenzene (para-dichlorobenzene), also known as p-DCB, paramoth, para crystals and paracide, reflecting the use of this chemical to control moths, molds and mildew. Para-dichlorobenzene is a colorless or white crystalline solid at ambient temperature and pressure and emits an aromatic, camphor-like odor. When exposed to air, para-dichlorobenzene slowly sublimates from a solid to vapor and does not dissolve easily in water, making this chemical an efficient air deodorizer and thus a highly desirable component in air fresheners, toilet and urinal blocks. However, although there is no current evidence that moderate use of para-dichlorobenzene is harmful to human health, harmful effects have occurred from high exposures. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that para-dichlorobenzene may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen as animals who have been given very high levels of this chemical in water have developed liver and kidney tumors.
Thus, it is desirable to produce fragrance emitting compositions and products that do not contain para-dichlorobenzene, but that exhibit desirable qualities, such as a pleasant scent and, depending upon the product, color, cleaning and disinfecting characteristics, while dissolving or disintegrating at a rate approximately equal to the life span of such desirable characteristics, such degradation providing an indication to the user or maintenance person when the product needs to be replaced. Specifically, with respect to urinal blocks, principal requirements include that the blocks emit a fragrance and not become mushy or dissolve too quickly in water. However, it is desirable for the blocks to slowly disintegrate over time (one to two months) in a time frame that corresponds to the use of all the fragrance, so that a maintenance person will have a visual clue to replace the block. Urinal blocks may also desirably include enzymes that reduce protein and fat buildup of the urinal and plumbing connected thereto.